15-month winless streak to end at ‘the Big M’

It’s hard to believe that harness racing’s star Queensland pacer Colt Thirty One has not won a race in almost 15 months.

Yet champion Queensland trainer Grant Dixon will be hoping a change of scenery can get his stable star back to something like his best form.

Colt Thirty One will have a new driver in ace Menangle horseman Robbie Morris aboard when he contests Race 3, the Cordina Farms Outlet Pace over 2300m at Menangle tonight.

Amazingly, it is the first time someone other than Dixon has driven the son of Mach Three in a 97-start career, which has yielded 46 wins and 31 placings, including a Victoria Derby, a Premiers Cup and Queensland Cup along with numerous other features in a stellar career.

Yet Colt Thirty One appears to have lost his zest for competition and in his three runs in the past month has finished just off the pace and apart from a trial win early in December has not looked anything like the star that walloped the likes of Poster Boy and Spankem in the 2018 Victoria Derby, coming from near last in a slashing victory.

Obviously wary of his ability, the TAB has Colt Thirty One as the $2.25 favourite in early markets with his belated return to Menangle expected to be the catalyst for a return to form.

Morris has a great record driving for Dixon whenever he sends horses across the border and despite the presence of three runners from his wife KerryAnn Morris’s stable, Morris has ‘jumped ship’ to take the drive on Colt Thirty One.

The Morris stable has Hickstead, which KerryAnn will drive in the same race while Josh Gallagher will be aboard Ziggy Rocks and David Morris on outsider Dance For Glory for his neighbours.

Feature race of the night is the $30,600 New Years Gift Final which will see some of Sydney’s form stables clash.

Inter Dominion-winning trainer Jason Grimson has stable newcomer and former Kiwi pacer Doubtless Bay (Cameron Hart) listed as the $3.75 favourite in an open affair. He also has Island Fire Dance (Jack Trainor) in the race as well as the first emergency Experia.

Belinda McCarthy will pin her stable’s hopes on Ilikemebettor (Luke McCarthy) while other top hopes include last-start winners Jazzy Star, Our Cowgirls N Lace and Smooth Baht.

Throw in Vincent Van Gone from the Kevin Pizzuto barn and Lochiel from Amanda Turnbull’s team and it shapes as an epic clash.

To view the fields for Menangle on Saturday night click here.

By Michael Court for HRNSW